Overwatch players are mourning Roadhog after nerf

Blizzard Entertainment

Roadhog fans aren’t happy about yesterday’s update to the Overwatch public test region. Players find that the series of changes to the tank character’s gun, meant to make him more balanced, instead turn the killing machine into anything but.

Roadhog’s scrap gun weapon now fires 30 percent faster than before but does 33 percent less damage, according to the patch notes. The clip size of that gun also got a boost, from four rounds to five. Blizzard Entertainment explained that this was meant to make Roadhog — who can quickly land one-hit kills on Overwatch’s “squishier” heroes — less powerful.

“The Scrap Gun changes reduce the power of his hook combo and alternate fire burst damage potential while still keeping his [damage per second] roughly the same,” the patch notes read.

A visual comparison of this change became a top post on Reddit after the update went live:

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Roadhog players are already feeling the change. Roadhog’s popular because he’s slow but powerful — speeding up his gun’s rate of fire has an effect on his “rhythm,” frustrated users said. He could also quickly finish off his foes with a single shot if his hook connected.

“Roadhog felt like a big slow fat dude with a big fat shotgun that fires super slowly and does a butt load of damage,” wrote Redditor maleouf. “On the PTR not so much. You just feel like a fat Reaper/Torb. It may be more balanced but it doesn't feel like the same character.”

“Roadhog has this foreign feeling now where enemies will gleefully dive into your hook to get away from your right-click range and into your left-click range, where they can beat you 1v1,” wrote Sybarith in agreement. Speedier fighters now stand a much better chance against Roadhog, who used to be able to demolish foes with just a few hits.

It’s enough of a change to his previously deadly hook-and-shotgun combo that players are saying Roadhog’s done for, as far as competition goes.

A sample of the comments grieving over the Roadhog nerf.Reddit

The Overwatch Twitter account’s post about the PTR changes has numerous replies begging for Roadhog’s changes to be reversed. “Leave Roadhog alone,” “RIP Roadhog” and “Bring back my Roadhog” are all common refrains on social media from players.

At least one group is okay with the changes, based on Reddit and Twitter: those who died repeatedly against Roadhog. They’re likely the same who celebrated Roadhog’s first major nerf from January, when Blizzard changed up his all-powerful hook so that opponents could more successfully break its chain.

roadhog can no longer single shot kill lucio pic.twitter.com/QMiEX7MiIq

— rat dracula (@deluxepeach) June 1, 2017

The latest balance changes aren’t final, nor are they on the console versions of Overwatch yet. Stay tuned to see if they become permanent, Roadhog players.